GrantRadar

The National Lottery Community Fund

Small Eco Awards

The National Lottery Community Fund's Small Eco Awards give £300 to £20,000 to community projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland whose main aim is environmental sustainability. Projects must help people connect with and care for nature in their area, make a positive difference to the environment, or help people tackle pollution in their communities. There is no deadline, the Fund aims to decide within 12 weeks, and the money must be spent within 24 months of the award. Schools and sports groups can apply only if the wider community benefits.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£300 – £20,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Organisations with projects based in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales: constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups or clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies, community interest companies, community benefit societies, and statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish and community councils)
  • Schools can apply only if the project helps the local community, not just the school, and sports groups only if the project is open to the wider community
  • You must have at least 2 directors (board or committee members) who are not related
  • Individuals, sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies that pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including companies limited by shares), and one organisation applying on behalf of another (except as a partnership) cannot apply
  • Applications written for you by private businesses or consultants are not accepted
  • You need a safeguarding policy, and land or building work needs ownership or a lease of at least 5 years

What it funds

Projects that have environmental sustainability as their main aim and meet at least one priority (help people connect with and care for nature in their area; make a positive difference to the environment; help people tackle pollution in their communities):

  • Starting a new activity or continuing an existing one (if it meets our priorities)
  • Helping your organisation or community (or both) adapt to new challenges
  • One-off events that have a clear environmental benefit
  • Specialist support, for example, help from a nature or environmental organisation
  • Equipment
  • Staff and training costs
  • Transport and utilities
  • Volunteer expenses
  • Running costs for your organisation
  • Small-scale land or capital projects, including refurbishment and adaptations to improve environmental impact

examples include community gardens and growing spaces, restoring neglected green areas, forest schools, repair and reuse sessions, surplus food redistribution, tree planting and rain gardens, solar panels and energy efficiency in community buildings, energy audits, rewilding, litter picking, climate education and community resilience plans.

What it will not fund

  • Activities or costs that only involve domestic animals
  • Costs you've already paid for
  • Alcohol
  • Contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
  • Someone else to write your application for you
  • Activities that make a profit or raise money
  • VAT you can reclaim
  • Religious activities (religious organisations can be funded if the project benefits the wider community and has no religious content)
  • Statutory services or activities
  • Schoolwork support during school hours
  • Overseas travel
  • Projects that take place outside the UK
  • Giving cash directly to individuals
  • School projects that mainly benefit pupils, staff or parents, such as curriculum activities, school trips, after-school clubs, staff training or improvements to school buildings and grounds not open to the wider community
  • Funding the same work twice
  • Using the same funding to run projects in more than one country

How to apply

  1. Check your project fits at least one of the environmental priorities, and preview the application questions for your country
  2. Apply on the online form for the country where your project is based (Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales), at least 12 weeks before you need the funding
  3. In 'Extra details about your project', select 'My project supports communities to be environmentally sustainable' as the project category
  4. The Fund reviews your application, may contact you to discuss it, and responds within 12 weeks
  5. If successful, you are told by email and the money is paid into your account within 14 days; you can start the project once you receive the email

you must wait for approval before starting your project or spending money. Easy Read, PDF, video and BSL versions of the form are available if you cannot use the online form.

Have ready

  • A bank statement from the last 3 months showing your organisation's legal name, address, bank name and logo, bank address, account number, sort code and date range (or a bank welcome letter or transaction listing if the account is newer than 3 months)
  • A safeguarding policy explaining how you'll keep people safe
  • For land or building work: proof of ownership, or a lease of at least 5 years (or an owner's letter confirming one) plus proof of the owner's or landlord's permission to do the work

More like this

Other grants open to organisations like yours.